Wed, 12th Oct, 2022 Bush camp by Gascoyne River crossing, Landor Station to Bush camp on pending exploration lease, NW of Meekatharra, WA

The wind is back. 7am 17 degrees, min of 15. Mostly clear sky.

Across the causeway. Stopped to get a photo of the other side of the mail flying-fox cable and a plaque.

Turned onto the road to Mt Clere Station rather than going up to the Landor Station homestead. Open grassy plains with a few low hills, shrubs and a few trees. A ‘live’ kangaroo - haven’t seen one in ages, bounded across the road.

Red dirt road that’s had some damage from the vehicles after the rain. Not corrugated so it is a nice drive. No vehicles either.

Still travelling in the Gascoyne River flood plains.. Lots of nice green shoots coming up from the recent rain. Lots of purple Mulla Mulla line the side of the road with the bright pink little wildflowers. A flock of brilliant green budgies zoomed along beside us.

Across the Gascoyne River again - lots of flowing sections across the wide crossing.

Nearing Mt Clere Station homestead we saw a vehicle off the side of the road then saw a chap in the creek fixing a broken fence wire. We pulled up and he came over for a chap - works for the station. He said he went across to Landor on the Wednesday before the races and just got back before the rain came. A lot of people were stuck at Landor because of the roads being cut with the river but the actual race day was dry so they had fun! He said the water had reached the station east of Gascoyne Junction 1pm yesterday so it is slowly working its way westward. He said the boss had graded the worst bits of road further on.

We left him to continue his work and headed past the station homestead. More pink and yellow flowers everywhere - so pretty and the colours are so bright. Yellow blooms are coming out on some shrubs too.

The flowers continue as we roll up and down some small hills then back into the flat country though I can see some bigger hills in the distance.

Still windy and the sky has cleared. Passed the turn off to another station homestead with the vehicle graveyard by the road. Past Mt Padbury Station homestead which is right by the road then across the wide waterways of the Murchison River - also running from the recent rain.

More yellow flowers and it goes on for a while.

Pulled off the road for lunch - the sun is out but the wind is cool.

Continued across Yalgar River - like the others with lots of small branches either side of the main channel.

Spotted two roos sitting under a tree - we hardly see any wildlife except little birds and crows!

More yellow shrubs and some purple ones appearing now. Great wide smooth road.

Turned off onto a wobbly bush track to find a pending exploration lease (hasn’t been signed over yet so we can detect on it) to camp for the night. We first pass a live mining lease which was over a long line of shafts but doesn’t look like they have done any recent mining on it since the old days. We continued on a found the pending lease which has a few more shafts on it. Wandered around checking them out. I don’t think I would like to be climbing down there no matter how much gold was there.

We found a spot on the flat and set up.

The purple and yellow shrubs are here and there is a soft green plant that looks like it should be in the coral surrounded by fish.

Set up a fireplace on the windless side of the camper for drinks. We just have phone reception here but only a few FB notifications so obviously everyone is well. We can hear so many budgies but they are hiding. A heap of sparrows are flying around then on dust they flew over us with the budgies all tweeting together - lovely.

The breeze got chilly so into the camper. 19 degrees at 9pm.